As the San Francisco Giants’ 2026 season spirals, left-hander Robbie Ray—whose expiring contract ends after the 2026 World Series—has become an increasingly plausible trade piece. The 34-year-old has struggled early, and team needs may turn his contract into a
San Francisco has not just stumbled in 2026—it’s doing it at a pace that forces decisions to arrive early. For the Giants, the season is moving in the wrong direction fast, and Robbie Ray’s start has made his own future in a Giants uniform feel less certain by the week.
Ray, a 34-year-old left-hander, is a two-time All-Star and a former Cy Young Award winner. He won the Cy Young in 2021 with the Toronto Blue Jays. a season in which he led the American League in ERA. innings. strikeouts. and WHIP. After that run, he signed a five-year, $115 million contract with the Seattle Mariners. That deal will expire after the 2026 World Series.
For now. Ray plays for the Giants. but time is running out on his contract—and on the team’s patience if the slide keeps going. Through May 25. the Giants were 22-32 and tied with the New York Mets for the second-worst record in the National League. Their odds of making the playoffs were 5.9 percent, according to FanGraphs. With numbers like that staring everyone in the face. Ray increasingly looks like a pitcher who could be moved if his results don’t sharpen quickly.
On paper, the idea of trading Ray doesn’t sound obvious. He made the National League All-Star team last summer, but his current season has been uneven. In his first 11 starts, he went 3-6 with a 4.60 ERA. That kind of early production tends to make teams wary—until they look at the contract situation and the ways a struggling starter can still be useful.
The point that changes the math is simple: contending teams don’t just trade for a season’s current form. They trade for roles, matchups, and timing—especially when an expiring contract offers a rare chance to add a known quantity without committing long-term.
Ray’s performance also hints at why his value might be harder for the Giants to unlock in the rotation. but easier to unlock in a different setting. Against left-handed batters, he has posted a .229/.296/.313 opponents’ slash line. Against right-handed batters, the line is .246/.335/.521—worse in a way that makes matchups matter. The splits don’t stop there either: in the first inning. opponents’ OPS sits at .726. compared with .938 in the second inning and .843 in the third.
The pathway for improvement may not require a new pitcher—it may require a new schedule. A move to the bullpen could reduce how often Ray faces opposing right-handers multiple times in a game. while also leaning into the assets that have been effective against left-handed hitters. He has a curveball and a changeup that have been effective against right-handed hitters. and the suggestion is that his looks could be structured so he helps any contending team by maximizing the matchups that have gone his way.
Ray has accomplished plenty in his 11-year career. but there’s one absence that stands out: he has never won a World Series. His next postseason game would be his seventh, and it would be his first since 2022 with the Mariners. At age 34, he has started in all but four of his 276 MLB appearances. If his performance doesn’t turn soon—and if the Giants’ record keeps sliding—there’s a real incentive for him to change roles rather than sit and wait for an entire season to swing back.
A bullpen shift could make him more attractive to contenders. And if the Giants keep slipping, his expiring contract—ending after the 2026 World Series—could become the kind of opportunity teams pursue quickly, before Ray’s value has time to fade further.
San Francisco Giants Robbie Ray MLB trade 2026 season Seattle Mariners Toronto Blue Jays FanGraphs National League All-Star Cy Young